(2S,3S)‐2,6‐Dimethylheptane‐1,3‐diol,the oxygenated side chain of 22(S)‐hydroxycholestrol,and its synthetic precursor (R)‐4‐benzyl‐3‐[(2R,3S)‐3‐hydroxy‐2,6‐dimethylheptanoyl]‐1,3‐oxazolidin‐2‐one

(2S,3S)‐2,6‐Dimethylheptane‐1,3‐diol, C₉H₂₀O₂, (I), was synthesized from the ketone (R)‐4‐benzyl‐3‐[(2R,3S)‐3‐hydroxy‐2,6‐dimethylheptanoyl]‐1,3‐oxazolidin‐2‐one, C₁₉H₂₇NO₄, (II), containing C atoms of known chirality. In both structures, strong hydrogen bonds between the hydroxy groups form tape motifs. The contribution from weaker C—H...O hydrogen bonds is much more evident in the structure of (II), which furthermore contains an example of a direct short Osp³...Csp² contact that represents a usually unrecognized type of intermolecular interaction.     

Polyol‐Metall‐Komplexe. 491) μ‐Dulcitolato‐O2, 3;4, 5‐Komplexe mit Amin‐Kupfer(II)‐ und ‐Nickel(II)‐Metallfragmenten

Polyol Metal Complexes. 49¹⁾ μ‐Dulcitolato‐O^{2, 3;4, 5} Complexes with Cu^II(en) and Ni^II(tren) Metal Fragments The dinuclear ethylenediamine‐copper(II) complex of the tetra‐anion of the achiral alditol dulcitol (galactitol) is remarkable, since it was the first crystalline carbohydrate—metal complex ever reported (W. Traube, G. Glaubitt, V. Schenck, Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 1930 , 63, 2083—2093). Although its existence is recognized for many decades, its structure remained unknown due to a kind of crystal packing that promotes twinning. Crystal growth at low temperatures now yielded crystalline specimens of [(en)₂Cu₂(Dulc2, 3, 4, 5H_—4)] · 7 H₂O ( 1 ) that have allowed us to unravel both the crystal structure and the twinning law. Closely related molecular structures are adopted by [(tren)₂Ni₂(Dulc2, 3, 4, 5H_—4)] · 20 H₂O ( 2 ) and [(Me₃tren)₂Ni₂(Dulc2, 3, 4, 5H_—4)] · 16 H₂O ( 3 ), the latter showing the shortest hydrogen bond towards a polyolate acceptor ever found (O···O distance: 2.422Å).     

N,N′‐Diethyl‐4‐nitrobenzene‐1,3‐diamine, 2,6‐bis(ethylamino)‐3‐nitrobenzonitrile and bis(4‐ethylamino‐3‐nitrophenyl) sulfone

N,N′‐Diethyl‐4‐nitrobenzene‐1,3‐diamine, C₁₀H₁₅N₃O₂, (I), crystallizes with two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit, both of which are nearly planar. The molecules differ in the conformation of the ethylamine group trans to the nitro group. Both molecules contain intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bonds between the adjacent amine and nitro groups and are linked into one‐dimensional chains by intermolecular N—H...O hydrogen bonds. The chains are organized in layers parallel to (101) with separations of ca 3.4 Å between adjacent sheets. The packing is quite different from what was observed in isomeric 1,3‐bis(ethylamino)‐2‐nitrobenzene. 2,6‐Bis(ethylamino)‐3‐nitrobenzonitrile, C₁₁H₁₄N₄O₂, (II), differs from (I) only in the presence of the nitrile functionality between the two ethylamine groups. Compound (II) crystallizes with one unique molecule in the asymmetric unit. In contrast with (I), one of the ethylamine groups, which is disordered over two sites with occupancies of 0.75 and 0.25, is positioned so that the methyl group is directed out of the plane of the ring by approximately 85°. This ethylamine group forms an intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond with the adjacent nitro group. The packing in (II) is very different from that in (I). Molecules of (II) are linked by both intermolecular amine–nitro N—H...O and amine–nitrile N—H...N hydrogen bonds into a two‐dimensional network in the (10) plane. Alternating molecules are approximately orthogonal to one another, indicating that π–π interactions are not a significant factor in the packing. Bis(4‐ethylamino‐3‐nitrophenyl) sulfone, C₁₆H₁₈N₄O₆S, (III), contains the same ortho nitro/ethylamine pairing as in (I), with the position para to the nitro group occupied by the sulfone instead of a second ethylamine group. Each 4‐ethylamino‐3‐nitrobenzene moiety is nearly planar and contains the typical intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond. Due to the tetrahedral geometry about the S atom, the molecules of (III) adopt an overall V shape. There are no intermolecular amine–nitro hydrogen bonds. Rather, each amine H atom has a long (H...O ca 2.8 Å) interaction with one of the sulfone O atoms. Molecules of (III) are thus linked by amine–sulfone N—H...O hydrogen bonds into zigzag double chains running along [001]. Taken together, these structures demonstrate that small changes in the functionalization of ethylamine–nitroarenes cause significant differences in the intermolecular interactions and packing.     

Total Synthesis of (-)-Kaerophyllin,(-)-Hinokinin and (±)-Isohinokinin

Kaerophyllin (1) ,hinokinin (2 )andtheiranalogue isohinokinin (3)belongtothedibenzylbutyrolactone lig nans .Kaerophyllin (1)wasisolatedfromtherootofspot tedcowparsley (ChaerophyllummaculatumWilld .) 1andhinokinin (2 )wasisolatedfromtheheartwoodofLiboce drusformosanaFlorin .2 AccordingtoMacRaeandTow ers ,3afivememberedlactoneringandamethylenedioxylgroupwereimportantstructuralcharacteristicswhichcon tributetotheactivityoflignansasantitumoragents .More over ,anunsaturateddoublebondbetweenC3—…     

Concise Syntheses of bis‐Strychnos Alkaloids (−)‐Sungucine, (−)‐Isosungucine,and (−)‐Strychnogucine B from (−)‐Strychnine

The first chemical syntheses of complex, bis‐Strychnos alkaloids (?)‐sungucine ( 1 ), (?)‐isosungucine ( 2 ), and (?)‐strychnogucine B ( 3 ) from (?)‐strychnine ( 4 ) is reported. Key steps included (1) the Polonovski–Potier activation of strychnine N‐oxide; (2) a biomimetic Mannich coupling to forge the signature C23?C5′ bond that joins two monoterpene indole monomers; and (3) a sequential HBr/NaBH₃CN‐mediated reduction to fashion the ethylidene moieties in 1 – 3 . DFT calculations were employed to rationalize the regiochemical course of reactions involving strychnine congeners.     

N,N′‐Bis(2‐hydroxycyclohexyl)‐N,N′‐bis(2‐hydroxyethyl)ethane‐1,2‐diaminium dichloride

The achiral meso form of the title compound, C₁₈H₃₈N₂O₄²⁺·2Cl⁻, crystallizes to form undulating layers consisting of chains linked via weak hydroxyalkyl C—H...Cl contacts. The chains are characterized by centrosymmetric hydrogen‐bonded dimers generated via N—H...Cl and hydroxycycloalkyl O—H...Cl interactions. trans‐N‐Alkyl bridges subdivide the chains into hydrophilic segments flanked by hydrophobic cycloalkyl stacks along [001].     

X‐ray investigations of bicyclic α‐methylene‐δ‐valerolactones. V. (4aS,7R,8aR)‐7‐Isopropenyl‐4a‐methyl‐3‐methyleneperhydrochromen‐2‐one

The title compound, C₁₄H₂₀O₂, adopts a conformation in which the δ‐valerolactone and cyclohexane rings are almost coplanar with one another. The γ‐methyl substituent occupies an axial position with respect to the cyclohexane ring. The δ‐valerolactone moiety adopts an envelope arrangement, while the cyclohexane ring exists in a chair conformation.